Friday, October 9, 2015

There's no business like Show(ah) Business

"The Joke with the Pope contest is over and the winner is ... a rabbi.

And that’s no joke.

Launched by the Pontifical Mission Societies* in the United States ahead of Pope Francis’ U.S. visit last month, the contest netted 4,000 submissions from people, including actress and comedian Ellie Kemper, weather forecaster Al Roker and late-night TV host Conan O’Brien. Comedian Bill Murray was the honorary adviser.

But the organizers named Rabbi Bob Alper** the winner Monday (Oct. 5) on their website."

"Alper said people haven’t been genuflecting in front of him in the supermarket in rural Vermont, where he lives. In fact, he hasn’t gotten much of a response to his new title: “honorary comedic adviser to the pope.”

He figures his friends must think he’s joking.

Alper said he admires the way Pope Francis uses comedy both to minister to people and to help them receive his message. That’s something he also sees from teachers in the Talmud, he pointed out."